Storm outlast gallant Tigers

THE Melbourne Storm were pushed all the way but their class eventually shone through in a 26-12 victory over a gallant Wests Tigers side in front of 18866 fans at AAMI Park.

The Storm didn’t hit the front until the 66th minute when halfback Cooper Cronk started and finished a movement down the right side with hooker Cameron Smith having a hand in the original play before Chambers burst down the sideline to find Cronk back in support.

The Storm started the match as red-hot favourites but in a weekend of so-called upsets it was the Tigers who started the match the better with a specific game plan which included quick play-the-balls and plenty of offloads. Hooker Robbie Farah kicked to the corners to negate Billy Slater’s impact and the Tigers defence which has been suspect already in 2013 was up to the task throughout the opening 40 minutes.

The opening half was a stop-start affair punctuated by penalties which ensured Melbourne couldn’t get into their methodical game plan. The Tigers opened the scoring after 16 minutes on the back of a dubious refereeing decision after it appeared Bodene Thompson took Storm five-eighth Gareth Widdop out after a kick which may be scrutinised by the match review committee. Billy Slater won the race to the ball and forced a dropout but was ruled offside and the visitors advanced the ball downfield. Early in the tackle count Farah was at it again out of dummy half and his perfectly weighted grubber into the in-goal was grounded by winger James Tedesco to give his side an unlikely 4-0 lead.

The Tigers defence continued to muscle up throughout the remainder of the half as the Storm threw everything they had at them but appeared incapable of finding a way through. Braith Anasta added a penalty goal in the 33rd minute before the amount of tackling the Tigers had done eventually took its toll in the shadows of halftime. Storm hooker Cameron Smith turned prop Siosaia Vave back on the inside where he muscled his way into the in-goal. Smith added the extras to send both sides to the break at 6-all.

The Tigers extended their lead back out to a converted try in the 50th minute although luck played a part in Benji Marshall’s try. Robbie Farah hooked a cross-field kick back towards Mahe Fonua who spilt the ball before Ben Murdoch-Masila threw a perfect around-the-corner pass to his five-eighth. Fonua redeemed himself in the 63rd minute when he finished off a typical Melbourne Storm try. Cronk, Smith and Slater combined with successive second-man plays before the fullback found his winger who scored out wide. Smith added the extras from out wide and from there it was all one-way traffic.

Further tries to Cronk and Waqa ensured the Storm started the season with a 5-0 win-loss record and sets up a mouthwatering clash with South Sydney at ANZ Stadium next Saturday night.

The Tigers will have to regroup and prepare to face the Dragons at the SCG next Sunday.

Good evening footy fans and welcome to the penultimate match in Round 5 of the Telstra Premiership coming to you live from AAMI Park in Melbourne. Team news just filtering through out of the Storm camp and winger Matt Duffie is out. He will be replaced by Sisa Waqa, while Kenny Bromwich makes his debut off the bench.

Just waiting to see if Tigers coach Mick Potter has any changes to the side he named last Tuesday. Once they come through, you will be first to know. The Storm have won the toss and will kickoff.

Fulltime in the Holden Cup and the Storm 24 have defeated the Tigers 14.

1 min: Cam Smith gets us underway and the Tigers will have first use of the ball, defending the northern end of AAMI Park.

1 min: Mistake free opening from the Tigers and Waqa takes Anasta's kick and is tackled on the 10m line.

Tedesco scores the first points tonight! A classy piece of play from Farah saw him trickle the ball into the in-goal and the winger won the race to the ball to open his sides account. Anasta misses from out wide.Wests Tigers 4-0

20 min: Moltzen again allows Cronk's floating bomb to bounce and the ball is batted back by Slater but into the arms of Buchanan for the Tigers.

21 min: PENALTY Storm. Slater not allowed to get a quick play-the-ball.

Marshall scores out wide to put the Tigers back in front! Farah's kick was hooked back towards Fonua who was out leapt by Reddy before the pass from Murdoch-Masila to Marshall was ruled to have been ok. Anasta adds the extras from the sideline.Wests Tigers 12-6

56 min: Waqa heads down the sideline and throws the ball back on the inside before Blair touches the ball as it goes in touch. Storm scrum.

57 min: PENALTY Storm. Robbie Farah ruled to have his hand on the ball.

62 min:TRY MELBOURNE STORM Scored by Mahe Fonua. Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful. The Storm work it through the hands and it's a TRY! Fonua scores in the corner, Smith converts and we're all square!12 all

66 min:TRY MELBOURNE STORM Scored by Cooper Cronk. Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful. And just like that the Storm are flexing their muscle! They bust through the Tigers defence inside their own half and Cronk is there in support, he gets the ball and scores. Smith converts.Melbourne Storm 18-12

Waqa makes it extremely difficult for the Tigers after he goes through some soft Tigers defence after Slater floated a pass over the top. Smith adds the extras from out wide to extend the lead to 12.Melbourne Storm 24-12

77 min: PENALTY Storm. Akauola is ruled to have hit Hinchcliffe in the head. Widdop lines up a penalty goal attempt.